Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
NGEZI Platinum Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi’s knack of throwing fresh faces to the deep end cannot be over-emphasised.
His tenure in Mhondoro, glossed by a league championship and two Chibuku Super Cup finals, has seen him unearth rough diamonds which he has gone on to polish.
It is him who perfected the 2023 Golden Boot winner Takunda Benhura, Tendai Matindife, Walter Vuwa, Ellison Mweha, Leslie Kashitigu and Tanaka Munemo, among others.
And he is not done yet.
On Saturday, the gaffer shocked many at Baobab Stadium when he threw into the fray a 21-year-old MacDonald Eddisone, as the home side trailed Dynamos 1-0 with 25 minutes before time.
It looked like a risky gamble given the midfielder had just 17 minutes of Premiership experience under his belt before Saturday match.
But the boy proved to be a worthy replacement for his namesake, MacDonald Makuwe, just as he stepped on that beautifully manicured turf.
For once, Eddisone started dictating the pace in midfield, forcing the Glamour Boys to defend very deep in their defensive third.
Although Dynamos had him under lock and key for the first quarter-of-an-hour, he was in the game, and they could do nothing when his predatory instincts saw him fire the home side level from a goalmouth scramble.
“I am very happy to have opened my PSL goal account,” Eddisone said.
“I scored seven goals for the Ngezi Platinum U19 last season in the Northern Region Soccer League.
“That got me promoted into the senior side. I am very happy and that means I have to continue challenging myself to get into these scoring positions and get to score.”
It was a typical fox-in-the-yard moment, Eddisone loitering around the confusion and getting the best out of the situation once the ball fell on his feet.
His movement and input to get the ball inside the area before the Dynamos defenders went sixes-and-sevens were second to none.
Ngezi Platinum had drawn too many games before this one and Eddisone seemed to have that message repeated in his mind too, often as he rattled the crossbar five minutes after drawing level.
Dynamos were living dangerously even with maximum attention on him.
And so it proved, right at the death, when the Ngezi Platinum U-19 graduate picked the ball and penetrated right through the central axis, eliminating a thicket of their terrified defenders before laying it through to Munemo.
The latter was clear on goal and initially hesitated to pull the trigger before being pulled down for a penalty that was expertly converted by Kudzi Chigwida. Chiragwi hailed the youngster, saying it is his mentality that will see him going far.
“Eddisone has an incredible talent. He is one boy who has the courage and confidence to do anything across the field,” said Chiragwi.
“He is definitely one for the future, but the future starts with the present and you will be seeing more of him because I don’t doubt his capabilities.”
After picking the maximum points against Dynamos, which left them trailing leaders MWOS by seven points, Chiragwi said this should be the turnaround they have been waiting for.
“We had endured quite a hectic spell, failing to win games while playing well.
“But I believe maybe this is the turnaround we have been working to attain all along. We are keen to pick up the maximum points in our next game and set up to be consistent,” he added.
